Ravindra Jadeja hopeful to play for Australia, if not India, in World Cup

Jaipur. Rajasthan Royal’s all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has expressed confidence that he would definitely be playing the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup even if he was not selected to represent India by the national selectors. Jadeja is banking upon his IPL team captain Shane Warne to pick him up for the Australian national team in case he gets a cold shoulder from the BCCI selectors.

“I can surely make it to the Australian national team given the way they have been playing in the last few months,” a confident Jadeja said after a three-hour practice session where he scored 13 runs with one massive three-run shot that almost made to the shortened boundary at Sawai Mansingh Stadium.

Ravindra Jadeja smiling at his future prospects ahead of the World Cup

The left handed spinner and batsman, who fields at random places as directed by his captain, further expressed confidence that he’d be “at home” in the Australian team as he had been well coached by Shane Warne and was well versed with shared and glorified Australian cricketing values such as sledging.

“Not only can I badger a cricketer with my unique style of sledging, I am completely immune to all kinds of sledging,” Jadeja claimed and made a strong case by referring to his nonchalant attitude in the middle of all the unilateral and universal sledging he has to face from the Indian fans.

“I don’t even bother to report abuse those dozens of pages and groups on Facebook and Orkut against me,” he added, referring to communities like “Ravindra Jadeja is the worst allrounder!!!!” (with as many exclamation marks) on various social networking websites.

Although he denied confirming, sources say that Jadeja is already negotiating a deal with Cricket Australia for inclusion into their World Cup squad. Jadeja was banned from IPL early this year for negotiating a deal with another IPL franchisee and hence he has hired a professional lobbyist this time for negotiations.

Meanwhile sources close to Shane Warne say that the legendary leg-spinner may not represent Australia for the World Cup even if Cricket Australia offered him the post of captaincy after sacking Ricky Ponting.

“In fact, Warne is in talks with Nayar family for an out of court settlement where Warne would be ready to represent India if Arun Nayar gives up his claim on Liz Hurley,” a source said.